Clothes-line prop.



0. E. ROBINSON.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 18, 1910.

Patented Feb.28, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[NVE/VTOR -E. blnson O. E. ROBINSON.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLIOATION 111.111) 1113.18, 1910.

Patnted Feb.28,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR @.1Xc:1k inson 1 I THE Mla iRls PETERS FIQ.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 18, 1910.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911. Serial No. 544,701.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL E. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Burt and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Clothes-Line Props; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in clothes line props and especially to the class having for an object to provide a prop having a base on which said prop may be removably secured without the use of .separate bolts, etc.

Another object of my invention is to provide a base for the prop which may be carried from place to place and one which will hold the post in fixed relation to the clothes line.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a base which is so constructed that water or melted snow will not be retained therein and a still further object is to provide a member adapted to be seated on'the base portion and also adapted to support the prop.

A still further object is to provide means on the top end of the prop for finding and holding the line.

- Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved prop and line engaging means. Fig. 2 is a section through the base holding the prop. Fig. 3 is a section at right angles to Fig. 2 with the prop in its lowered position. Fig. I is a detail perspective of the line engaging and holding means. Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the line in its lowered position. Fig. 6 is a perspective showing the pole and T shaped member removed from the base and hung upon a wall. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the prop showing the modified form of base member. Fig. 8 is a. section through the modified form of base member showing the operating parts. Fig. 9 is a section at right angles to Fig. 8 with the prop in a lowered position, and, Fig. 10 is a section in perspective of the T shaped member showing the retaining lugs thereon.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate correspondlng parts throughout the several views, 1 is a base which may be constructed of metal, wood or some plastic material, said base beng substantially square in outline and having a plurality of projecting points 2 located on the under side thereof, these points being used for the purpose of holding the base firmly when once set in the ground or they may be utilized when the ground is covered with snow or ice, in which case they will act in the same capacity as if the ground were not covered. The base must be made of some material sufiiciently heavy to allow said base to meet the requirements of a weight. Two of the parallel sides of the base 1 have a substantially U shaped portion cut therefrom, while the other two parallel sides have a substantially Y shaped portion 3 cut partly through the thickness of said last mentioned walls, all of the aforesaid cut portions in both sets of parallel walls extend downwardly to the floor I, while a longitudinal valley 5 is out below said floor and extends from one of the U shaped cut portions to the other, and a channel crosses the valley 5 at a point midway at right angles, extending as far as the perpendicular V shaped lugs 6.

A substantially T shaped member 7 is adapted to rest in the channel which crosses at right angles to the valley 5 and the V shaped notches 8 cut in each end of the horizontal extension of said member 7 are adapted to engage said lugs 6 and register therewith, the upper portion of said T shaped member terminating in a shoulder 9 and extending from about the central portion of said shoulder is a threaded portion. 10, upon which may be secured a pole or the like 11, and I do not confine myself to a threaded portion necessarily as any other suitable securing means may be used.

It will be seen that I do not limit myself to the particular form of base member and T shaped member, as just described, but have provided some slight modifications as disclosed in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10. Here, I have shown a similar base member with the Y portions 3 cut from two of the parallel walls thereof, the extension P of the substantially Y shaped cut portion being narrowed and leading to a substantially circular channel 5 in the floor (3 of said base member. The T shaped member 7 a secured to the lower end of the pole l1 has integral with the ends of its arms the rectangular lugs 8. To position the pole within the base, it is first lowered to a horizontal position so that the narrowed portions of the lugs 8 are in alinement with the narrowed extension 1, whereupon they are inserted therein and the pole raised to its vertical position allowing said lugs to be turned in the channel a. The broad portion of the lugs will then face upwardly against the narrowed extension i thereby retaining said T member within the base. To aid the ready manipulation of the pole and the base member, I have provided the walls adjacent the Y shaped cut members with the inclined portions 9 and to remove the pole from the base, the operation is just the reverse of that described in positioning said pole within the base.

Secured to the top end of said pole 11 and adapted to engage a clothes line 12 or the like, is a finding and holding means consisting of a single piece of wire 13 looped in its central portion to form an eye 1%, whereby it is secured to the top of the pole and extends at right angles thereto. At an equal distance from each side of said loop, the wire 13 is bent upwardly to form vertical portions 15 and 15. Said wire is then bent inwardly from both ends at right angles to said vertical portions to form horizontal portions 16 and 16, leaving a small space 17 between said horizontal portions for the insertion of the line. The remaining end portions are then bent upwardly and outwardly in opposite directions and at right angles to the trend of said portions 16 and 16 to form finders 18 and 18.

In securing the wire 18 to the top end of the pole, said wire must not only be secured at right angles to the trend of said pole but also at right angles to the trend of the horizontal extension of said T shaped member 7, the object of which is obvious in the operating of the pole and line holding means. The pole after being moved about until the finders 18 and 18 engage the line 12 whereupon said line is inserted through the space l'Z, the prop, including the base, is lifted from the ground and given a twist, in which case said line is engaged and held securely by portions 15, 15, 16 and 16. This holding means being made of a continuous piece of wire, there will always be a resiliency which will tend to retain said line when so desired, no matter at what height said line may be.

In order to assemble the various parts for the purpose of supporting a clothes line, the base 1 is first positioned below said clothes line, either immediately below or at any distance to either side of the line according to its height, then the pole 11 is secured on the T shaped member 7, the T shaped member being in turn placed on the base so that the alinement with the lugs 6 at which point said T shaped member is positioned, so that the notches in the horizontal extension thereof register in engagement with said lugs.

The valley 5 is out below the floor 4: in order that any liquid which might settle on any portion of the base will find its way to said valley and be carried off thereby, thus obviating any freezing in cold weather which is natural under ordinary conditions.

It will doubtless be appreciated that I have provided a device which will hold a clothes line in an elevated position sufiiciently to prevent the articles carried on said line from coming in contact with the ground when blown by a strong wind, as is the case with most all the props used, since they have no means of being rigidly held in fixed relation with the clothes line. It will also be seen that my prop will be efiective in operation no matter what the height of the line may be, without providing means for adj usting it to difierent heights, nor providing notches at regular intervals in the prop to engage the line at different heights.

It will further be seen that I have provided a finding and holding device secured to the top of the prop which will efiectively retain the line whenever it is so desired.

Should it be necessary to store the pole away to keep it dry and away from the weather, all that is necessary is to disengage the holding means from the line, allow the pole to drop to a position parallel to the ground, in which case the vertical extension of the member 7 will rest in the valley 5 and the V shaped notches 8 aline themselves with lugs 6, the pole given an upward movement and carried away, leaving the base to remain exposed to the weather, if so de-' sired. Of course this operation is in the form using the T shaped member and base, as first described, but in the use of a modified form, the removal of the pole is as has been heretofore described.

TVhat I claim is:-

1. A device of the character described, comprising a base having oppositely dis posed walls each provided with a groove, a line prop with offset port-ions at its lower end, and means to retain said offset portions in said grooves, when said prop is in any position but the horizontal, said offset portions being adapted to be released when said prop is moved to said horizontal position.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a base having oppositely disposed walls each provided with a groove, said base also having a channel therein connecting said grooves, a line prop having the lower portion thereof seated in said channel, and means cooperating with said grooves for locking the lower end of said prop to the horizontal extension or" said member is in base.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a line prop; of a crosshead detachably secured thereto having its ends bifurcated, a base having opposed walls provided with grooves, said base being also provided with a channel connecting said grooves for the reception of said crosshead, and means to hold the bifurcations in said grooves when said crosshead is in any position but the horizontal.

at. A device of the character described, comprising the combination with a base having the side walls thereof cut away and the end walls provided with grooves, the grooves in said end walls being connected by a channel in the floor of said base, said floor being also provided with a valley intersecting said channel at right angles thereto; of a line prop seated in said channel and removably held between said grooves, and means whereby said line prop will be in position to be released when moved to a horizontal position.

5. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a base having the side Walls thereof cut away and the end walls provided with grooves, the grooves in said end walls being connected by a channel in the floor of said base, said floor being also provided with a valley intersecting said channel at right angles; of a line prop provided with a T-shaped crosshead at the lower end thereof, the horizontal portion of said crosshead being seated in said channel and removably held between said grooves and the depending portion of said crosshead being adapted to be seated in said valley, when said prop is moved to avhorizontal position, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F. Coonme'ron, H. E. BYRAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

